Electric lawn mowers are desirable for environmental reasons in that they greatly reduce, if not entirely eliminate, the noise pollution and the atmospheric pollution inherent in the more commonly used mowers driven by small internal combustion engines. However, it is more common to find electrical drives in walk-behind mowers that are tethered to an electrical outlet by a power cord than it is to find them in larger and heavier riding mowers.
Self-propelled electric mowers and especially self-propelled riding electric mowers, are not common. This is largely due to higher cost and lower efficiencies of the electrical motors previously available, and the high cost, relative inefficiency and low reliability of electrical controls previously available. Recently when efficient large permanent magnet motors and low cost, reliable electronic power control devices became commercially available such machines became feasible. The art, therefor has not provided the other advantages that on-board electrical power provides. These include control by flexible wire, or optical fiber, of remote functions such as drives permitting articulation without complicated connections and control by programmed controllers interposed between the operator and the functioning parts to provide optimal, smooth operation and safety for both the operator and the lawn being mowed.
It is an object of the instant invention to provide intelligent control of an electric mower, or any related small, self-propelled, wheeled-device, particularly self-propelled riding electric mowers, and to provide control by wire of the driving wheels thereof and a contour-following mower deck.